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... for an organization always hitting up the congregants with the poor mouth. Most businesses would trigger an embezzlement investigation for a sum much smaller than $128,000. That's way too much money coming in the pool if it wasn't missed.

I also had to take a moment at the bail: $100,000; which requires 10% to the bondsman, that's $118,000 left for running money!

dstewartsr, it is not an organization it is the Lord's House and the church doesn't "hit up" anyone with the poor mouth. Another article stated the finanical director had been there for 16 years so a little bit here, a little bit there, each year, most likely would not have been noticed (but should have if proper safety guidelines had been in place).

God knows what that man was doing and believe me he didn't get away with anything. Regardless of when or how he took the money there is no reason to make comments about the church as dstewartsr did. Most churches don't hit people up for money. People give because we are told to do so in the Bible and this is how the churches pays for its bills like electricity and salaries for ministers. There is nothing wrong with that. The only thing we can say about this situation is that it appears there were not enough checks and balances so that Judas was able to sell his soul for $128,000 dollars...pretty cheap if you ask me.

What were they thinking. I find this very disturbing seeing as the money is to help people in their faith and to do good deeds. Thank God there are many more people willing to spend their time to help others instead of taking money to help themselves.

"I also had to take a moment at the bail: $100,000; which requires 10% to the bondsman, that's $118,000 left for running money!"

ALLEGEDLY and according to the word on Peachtree Street in Lincolnton, the arrested plans to take yet another Caribbean cruise next month paid for in advance with one of the credit cards mentioned in the indictment. Did the judge think to have the perp surrender his passport?

I wonder if this can possibly be true? Beats all I've heard lately.

The 40 page forensic accountant audit report the church had to pay for should be required reading for every church trustee to keep anything like this from happening again. When the courts are through with this, I hope Double Branches will share the report so that the Great I Am's tithes can be protected from this ilk. Mark out the names if that is what the lawyers say to do but anything like this must not be allowed to happen again.

I hope the Laws of Karma-(Christians use the sow/reap axiom) - whisper to the perp at night when he is alone with his dark id.

No, palmetto, a calculation of about $8,000 isn't loose change.....and no KSL, no one said he took the money a little bit over the 16 years. I was just giving a hypothetical assesment of how the money could have been taken over a course of many years without drawing red flags. Just an opinion stated, not a fact.

I don't know what the statute of limitations is on theft by taking, but I am sure it is much less than 16 years. Did he just get a greedy spirit in the last few years, or has he been doing this all along? How could he sit in the congregation every Sunday without getting fidgety? How could he fellowship with other church members and not feel uncomfortable? He will most likely get a prison term along with having to make restitution. Whatever the outcome, he has ruined his life in a small community like Lincolnton. One thing's for sure, he will probably not be at church this Sunday.

is the root of a ALL EVIL. EVIL has a staring point. The "visible church" is not exempt. The Devil attends church and so do his "little foxes". Too much disposable money for a body waiting to leave this world? Too much temptation for the weak and too little over site. Let all things be done in order. Order and disciplined lives are not prerequisites for church participation. Hey, I'm an accountant, I'll volunteer for that job. Men and women do not just get up one morning and decide to steal from a church fund. Or kill their spouse or children.

Human are flawed from birth. We are totally depraved. We must be taught the right path. Too many religions are teaching that we all have good in us. The Bible says otherwise.

Bull fritters. This is probably the largest mostly cash driven business in this country. There's an office near --well, anybody-- in every once taxpaying storefront; sprawled over acres of prime real estate; whose executives live lives only a privileged few members of the parish could afford. Their business model is better than the thrifts: Thrifts take in donations and sell them. Churches take in donations and keep them.

These money laundering operations do all this without any oversight; they pay no property taxes, are exempt from numerous laws of the community, yet do not hesistate to tell others, especially non-members, where and when they may do lawful business. Churches are big business and the only institutions with less accountability to the community than our governments.